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County staff propose rule changes to Trails Grant Program to increase award sizes and ease matching requirements

5821763 · September 24, 2025

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Summary

Division of Planning presented proposed updates to the Sussex County Trails Grant Program to increase grant caps, reduce municipal matching requirements and allow broader eligibility for matching funds; the changes will be considered by the trust board.

Sussex County planning staff presented proposed modifications to the county Trails Grant Program that would increase grant award caps, lower matching requirements and simplify application procedures.

Ron, a division representative at the meeting, said the county had worked with municipalities to identify barriers and drafted changes to make trust-fund money easier to use. Proposed modifications include lowering the required municipal match, permitting professional and design fees as eligible match, allowing a single application to include multiple project elements or locations and replacing a strict 12-month construction completion requirement with a project time frame specified in the grant agreement.

The proposal would raise award limits: for a single municipal applicant from $5,000 to $25,000; for two municipalities partnering from $15,000 to $50,000; awards above $50,000 for three or more applicants would be considered case by case.

Why it matters: the program is funded by the Sussex County Farmland Preservation, Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and supports construction, rehabilitation, restoration and maintenance of publicly owned shared‑use trails. County staff said the changes respond to municipal feedback that prior awards were insufficient for intended projects.

Next steps: the Open Space Advisory Committee and the trust board are scheduled to consider the modifications; county planning will distribute additional information to municipalities and formal rules are expected to return to the commissioners for adoption in a future meeting.

Ending: Commissioners and staff discussed timing of documents and a commissioner raised concern that the draft was first delivered to the board late the same day it was presented; staff said the item will be on an open-space committee agenda for formal consideration.